WHAT MAKES STEAKSTONES THE BEST?
At SteakStones we use only the very best quality Lava for all our products and this allows you to heat directly on any heat source you choose for the easiest operation. There are other companies and products which use other materials such as granite and marble, but due to the way it is created (through incredible natural forces), Lava can tolerate much higher heating temperatures with no risk of cracking, which will happen to all other stone types if heated directly (click here for more geology!).
What temperature should I heat my SteakStones too?
As Lava is denser than other stone types, SteakStones products hold their heat for longer than any other brand or product. To enjoy the perfect experience, we recommend to heat to between 320c and 350c (600 – 660f) and this is done most easily by placing your SteakStones Lava Stones directly under the heating element of your grill or broiler, for around 30mins. Of course if your Oven goes up to this heat you can use the Oven method and for the fastest heating you can place your SteakStones Lava Stones directly on the hob or stove. This cannot be done with inferior granite or marble stones as the direct heat will cause cracking of the stone, but there is no risk of this with SteakStones Lava Stones.
Why does Steak cooked on the Stone taste better?
Cooking on the stone is all about searing in the natural flavours and succulence of your chosen cut. When you place the Steak on the Stone, it instantly sears in all the moisture and flavour, so you will enjoy all of this delicious flavour, without the need to add lots of others.
What about resting the Steak, all the experts say I should do this?
Correct, for a traditionally cooked steak, as the cooking process pushed the moisture to the centre of the steak and if it is cut before the juice has had a chance to dissipate back through the steak during resting, then all the moisture will be lost. However, when you place a Steak on a 320c plus heated Lava Stone, the Steak is instantly seared/sealed and this repeats for every slice and bite you cut and cook. So the moisture and flavour is always trapped inside every bite, rather than left in the pan or lost in your grill.
I’ve heard you should heat to 440 or 450 degrees C?
There is a myth that you can only enjoy Steak on the Stone on a stone heated to 440 or 450 degrees C. This is simply not true. The reason this myth exists is that certain companies sell vastly overpriced Ovens which heat to this temperature and make a lot of profit from Restaurants who buy into this story. Ironically, these same companies now sell products direct to consumers who have absolutely no way of heating to this exaggerated temperature at home, especially as their inferior quality stone cannot be safely heated on a direct source. Additionally, any produce put on a stone that is this hot will burn rather than sear the food and this is also why you often see these companies putting lots of salt on the stone, to stop the product touching so much, when the whole point is that you want a complete sear of the outside of the steak.
Do I need burners under my stone?
Anyone selling products that have burners or candles under the stone are taking you for a fool. If you were to try and heat a stone via this method you would never even get a temperature close to 100c in the stone, so having this futile heating method under the stone will do almost nothing to keep the operational heat of the stone for any longer than simply not having them at all. Again, it’s all about honesty and not just making a quick buck and that’s why SteakStones have been the World’s top selling Hot Stone Cooking Company for the past 15 years.
